Chris Brown has described his assault on girlfriend Rihanna as "the greatest regret of my life."

The rapper was convicted of assaulting the singer in 2009 following an argument on the eve of the Grammys, but they have now rekindled their romance.

Chris opened up to the Daily Mirror at Elton John's Aids Foundation Oscars fund raising party saying: "Sometimes you row, you fight, with the one you love and things get said, stuff spirals. That night was the deepest regret of my life, the biggest mistake.

"But she loves me - what can I say? I'm forgiven... but, yes, I worked hard for it."

Rihanna's reunion with Chris has caused some controversy and many people have not forgotten what he did.

But Chris, 23, said: "People attack me and criticise me, it happens all the time. But they don't know me, and they don't know us. It doesn't bother me any more. Other people can judge us but they don't know anything."

He added: "I've learned a lot since that night and I've grown up. I was very young and I took a lot of stuff, fame, for granted.

"I didn't understand it. The support from those who do know me and the fans, who are incredible, got me through."